Method and machine for printing floor coverings



R. A. BALDERSON METHOD AND MACHINE FOR PRINTING FLdOR COVERINGS 3 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 13, 1931. R. A. BALDERSON 1,788,374

I METHbD AND MACHINE FOR PRINTING FLOOR COVERINGS 'Filed July 11, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 13, 1931. R. A. BALDERSON 1,733,374

METHOD AND MACHINE FOR PRINTING FLOOR CQVERINGS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 11, 1928 \\\\s M A 1 w N w wa R M v I J g A 7 o I m w [25.6" hlvnvl, n 'W 1 p N MW ma Q I 1 m %N P 1H 1 km. Wm. W i I H w 4 3 mm. 9% m W i; A 1 A\%\\\\\\ V mm 7 NM, mum Mm Em N fl mm L /9 %W/ M ///M4 mmlmw Patented Jan. 13, 1931 UNITED STATES PAT CORK COMPANY, or PITTSBURGH, rE'NNsY vANIA, A CORPORATION or rENNsY VANIA n n'rnon AND MAcH rNn 'ron PRINTING FLOOR covERrNes application filed lily 11,

This invention relatessto the art of printing,and more particularly to block printing machines used in the decorating of printed floor coverings, such as linoleum and felt base goods. More particularly, the invention'relates to the application of paint or color. to the printing surfaces of the printing blocks.

In the "operationof'the ordinary block ninting' machine,a color carriage passes undera printing block to apply colorto. the printing surface of the block prior to-each operation ofthe printing blocln The color carriage is designed to travel from one side of the head tothe other on one printing cycle, 1 and to move back on the next printing cycle.

As heretofore constructed, such carriages have generally had a single trough adapted to hold paint andhave a single rolladaptedto apply paint to the printing surfaceofthe block. This arrangement permits of the application of only one color to the printing surface of-the block. I It has beenproposed to divide the trough transverselyof its length so that different portions of the roll will apply different colors of paint to different areas of the printing block crosswise of the block;

In a co-pending application of Charles F. Humphreys, filed July 23, 1928, Serial No.

294,743, there is disclosed a block printingmachine wherein the color carriage is divided longitud nally to provide parallel paint troughs along the carriage. In the construction shown in the said' Humphreys application, the arrangement is such that the rolls in the parallelytroughs can be tilted'to render one 'or the other efi ectiveifor applying paint to the printing-surface, but-the arrangement does not permit of theuse of both rolls at the same time. This arrangement, while increasing the number of colors which maybe printed by a single head, requires that the printing head be divided longitudinally into relatively movable sections so that'the sections which are intended for the printing of one color will not receive paint when the roller for applying the other color passes un-, der the printing'head. Y L

' Accordin to the Jresent invention the arrangement is such that the paintcarriage 1s CllVltlefl longitudinallyilnto two or more 1928. Serial No. 291,818.

parallel compartments I paint ap l roll is provided for eachcompartment and the arrangement is such that-all of the rolls may operate simultaneously in applying paint to the printing, block. ,In order, however, that two colors will not be applied to the same portion of a single "printing. block, the

ROBERT A. BALDERsoN,'orrrrrsBuRGIi, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIeNoa'roARMSTRONG rolls andthe block: are maintained in contact A during only a portion of thetravelof the car;

riagel under theblock. ()ne roll will there fore apply color to one'part ofthe block and theother roll to another part of thebloclr,

present invention, the mechanism for operat ing the printing heads 'heing-omittedthe drawing being more orless diagrammatic;

51 Figure 2 is atop plan view of the *track and, rollers for one end of the color carriage; A Figure 3 1s a top plan v ew of a color can,

so'much of said machineas relates'to the I riage divided both longitudinally and transverselyiby means of. which eight different color compartments are provided;

1 Figure 4 is an end viewof the longitudinah ly'divided color-carriage; a Figure 5 is atra'nsverse section-throughthecarriage; A 'Figure 6 is'a bottom plan view of the printing surface ofa printing'block" for-cooperation with the divided paint carriage,the view being more'or'} less diagrammatic; A I Figure 7 lfshows f a slightly modifiedrangement, the view being an end elevation of the carriageyand f" I j 'Figure 8 isa longitudinal vertical section in the plane of line VIII-VIII of Figure 7 In the construction shown in Figures 1 to 5, nclus ve, 2 represents theframe oii'the 1s d1v1ded longitudinally by means of a centhe head, that'is transversely to the direction of travel of the material, into two or more separate'printing' surfaces 4 and 4? and 5 and 5 respectively. In Figure 1 I have merely shown that carriage which is intended for cooperation with the printing head A similar carriage could be provided for the head andfor any otherhead on the machine wherein the printing surfaces are divided for cooperation with a divided carriage. V

In the drawings, the color carriage is) designated generallyby the reference numeral 6. This carriage comprises a trough 7 adapted to span/the bed of the machine and which tral partition 8 into separate compartments 9 and 10. In'each of'the compartments 9 and 10 is a paint spreading'roller 11; The rollers 11 are supported 'on' shafts 12 which pass throughvbearings in the end walls of the trough. Either or loothends of the shaft 12 with other gear wheels 14. ii Extending along.

the length of the bed of the machine is'a rack:

on the-track 16.

are'provided with gear wheels 13 meshing 15 and a track '16. The gear wheels 14 en-. gage in the rack 15 to rotate the gear Wheels 13 and therebyrotate the rollers ll- The arrangement is's-uch that the rollers will have aperipheral speed of movement of the carriage so that inpassing under the printing surface of the block 5 theywill roll against the block and not merely wipe the under I facesthereof. This is the usual practice'in machlnes of this kind. The earriageitself is supported on rollers 17 adapted to travel I These rollers haveg'earport-ions 17 adapted to engage in the rack 15 for positively rotating therollersswhereby it is assured that they will roll'and not slide-along the track 16. This is also quite common in printing.

machines of this type. As heretofore con structed, the track 16 has been in-the form of an ordinary rail, and the rollers -17 have been of:uniform diameter. According tothe present invention the, rollers 17 atone side of the carriage have an-inner portion .17 ofreduced diameter and another portion 17 ofordinary diameter. The jother;roller= 17 at theother' side of the carriage has. the re duced portion 17? reversed, the portion .17, being next the flange. The tracklfihascam surfaces 16 and 16 'thereon'which are raised above the normal. level of thetrack. Thecam surfaces 16 are located on the'side of the rail immediately next the rack 15 and the cam surfaces 16" arelocated along the other sideoftheraillti.

'Ass'umingin Figures1-and2 that'the car riage starts to move from right to left, it

will roll along the track 16.- The. reduced portion 17 of the left hand roller will ride over the cam surface 16 the portion 17 of this roller supporting the load. When the carriage has moved under the block 5 to the point where the left hand inking roller 11 has just reached the center of the block 5, the portion 17 of large diameter of the left hand roller will ride upon to the raised surface of 16*. At the same time the portion 1770f- .the right hand roller will ride up on the raised portion 16". The entire carriage will-thus be raised vertically a very slightdistance. This distance will be sufficient to bring the left hand .roller to a position where it will apply ink to the surface. 5* while the right hand roller inks the surface 5: Thus each roller will apply ink to only one of the two surfaces. a

When theleft hand roller 11 has passed across thesurface-5", the rollers 17 Willride off the cams 16 and 16", to lower the carriage, so that the right hand roller 11 will not apply ink .to the surfaceble Thus there will be no overlapping of twoeolors, on the same printing surface, but different colors; will be applied tocdifferentlongitndina-l divisions of the printing surface at the same time.

\ I'Vhile I haveshown the head as being divided along its center line, the line, of divisionmay occur at any suitable point, this being determined by the location of the cams 16 and 16b.' Y

When thecarriage reaches the limit of its 1novenient,-,and the carriage is entirely clear of the head, the head icomesdown to print. Afterithe'head has been lifted and raised to color'receiving position, the carriage starts moving to: th right, It Will 1101 lifted until theright hand roller 17 engages the cam 16? at which time the right hand inking roll 11 will beat theline of division between the two printing sections of the block and theleft handmoller 11 will be just about to move under the. block. Thus the same colorswi-ll belapphedto the same areas on the reverse movement'of the carriage.

:By referencefto Figure 6 it will be seen how the printing surfaces 5 and 5 are disposed. ,These printing surfaces nnght be small findividua'l .patterns or large solid colors. 1 y

In addition tofdividing the trough lone gitudinally, itjmay also be divided transversely, asindicated in Figure 3, wherein 20 designates the carriage having a longitudi; na'l partltion 21 and transverse partitions 22,.

There may be any suitable number oftr a'nsverse partitions. In the arrangement shown in Figure-3, the color box is divided up into eight separate compartments. the head both transverselyand longitudinally, a'wide variety of colors can be used in -a' given pattern without increasing the By dividing.

messes number of printing heads and the pattern can be more intricate. Using a printing block as shown in Figure 6 with a trough divided hot-h ways each or the several patterns .er-hown might be in a different color, and they could all be printed at one time, or on one stroke of the printin head.

It will thus be seen that the invention not only provides a new improvement in printing machines, but introduces a new method in the art of rug printing, it permits or" the simultaneous application of different colors across diflerent portions of a rug design at a given printing station.

in Figures 7 and 8 have shown a slight modification for securing the same results and by means of which only the rollers are raised while the trough itself remains in the same horizontal plane. In this construction, designate the bed of the machine and :36 is the color box having a longitudinal partition 27 separating the trough into two compartments 28 and 29. V in each compartment is a paint applyinglroller having shaft ill passing through v a vertical slot 32 in the end wall 33 at each end or the trough. ln-

asmuch as the effective vertical movement of the rolls into and out of operative position need be only approximately 3/32 the slots 32 are very short. The car large is supported on the rollers el that roll'on a rail 3% extendin alon thebed of the mab D the rollers.

pend extensions 3? that carry packings for,

closing the slots The extension 37 also provide hearings for the rollers and supports for doctor blades which cooperate with At thecenter of each frame is a depending arm'68 having aroller 39 at the bottom thereof. The rollers 39 are adapted to engage cams 40 which are parallel to the rails 53% and spaced inwardly from these rails. The cams are so located with respect to the printing head thattheiit'rames 35 will be lifted when thecarriage is at a predetermined location underthe printing head 4L1. The printing head 41 haslongitudinally separate printingsurfaces lZand In Figure 8 I have shown compression springs housed in the ends 33 for pressing upwardly on the shafts 32. These springs serve to assure both rollers applying paint uniformly to the respective printing surfaces 42 and 43, these springs not being suiiicient to hold the frames up whenthe rollers L39 are oil the cams 40. 1 I

in Figure 8 of the-drawing l have shown a bearing strip 4-5 at each end ofthe printing block which projects slightly below the printin surface of the block. The roller of an inch,

30 isadapted tocontact with'this bearing stripes. jBy; reason oi this arrangement the position of the rollwith repeat to theprint 111g" surface can be accuratelymaintained, 1t being desirable that the run shall not actually touch the printing surface, but shall travela fewthousandths of an inch below the pla'n'eof theprinting surface. p f

' It will be understood that in addition to the particular structures herein shown for effecting a relative movement of thecarriage and printing block at a time when "the carriage is 'passing under the block, other means may be'employed." For,1nstance, t s contemplatedthat the action may be reversed and the block dropped to printing position at a predetermined travel of the carriage thereunder, instead of the head beingraised i into contact with the block I claim I lI-ln'a block printing machine; a 'printing block and a color carriage-having at least two color applying units extending 1 long1tud1- nally'thereoifhothj oi' whiohare simultaneously'operable forapph ng differentcolors to different iongiauiin portions of= the block, thecolor carriage having paint troughs adapted to suhsl' ntiallycontinuously supply the colorapplying units." 1 i in a block printing machine which consists in moving a color carriage which is divided longitudinally and transversely to a plurality ofseparate color, applying units beneath a printing" block and causing the printing blockio receive paint from the color units during a portion only of the time which'the carriage is moving beneaththe block.

4. In a block-printing machine,'a printing block, a pluralityfof paint rolls movable thereunder, means for controlling .the relative vertical movement between the paint rolls and theblock, whereby paint is applied simultaneously by said paint rolls to selected different portions ofthe printing block, and means for continuously supplying paint to the paint rolls. V c

5. In a block printing machine, a printing block, a plurality oi paintrolls movable difierent portions of the printing block, and

color troughs movable with the paint rolls and adapted to continuously supply paint to the paint rolls.

(ii-In ablock-printing machine, a printing block, a"plu rality of. paint rolls movable ice let

his

thereunder, means for controlling the relative vertical movement between the paint rolls and the block, whereby paint is applied simultaneously by said paint rolls to selected different portions of the printing block, and color troughs movable with the paint rolls and adapted to continuously supply paint to the paint rolls, the paint rolls having-doctor blades for determining the amount of paint which they apply to the printing block.

7. In a block printing machine, a printing block, a color carriage having a paint box and reciprocable back and forth beneath the block, a paint-applying roller on the carriage, a doctor blade cooperating with the roller, and means controlling movement, of the roll into and out of positionto engage and apply paint to a block, said means being effective for holding the roll in paint-applying position during a portion only of its travel beneath the block, the doctor blade beingmovable with the roller;

8; In a blockprinting machine, a printing.

block, a color carriage including a paintbox *eciprocablej back and forth beneath the vblock, a;paint-applying roller on the carriage, said roller being substantially in fixed.

position relative to the paint box, and means for bodily raising the paint box and maintaining the same in elevated paint-applying position during a portion only of its travel beneath the block.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set myhand. r

ROBERT A. BALDEBSONL 

